Flynn Downes celebrates scoring Saints opening goal
Confession time for YT: after 90 minutes on Wednesday, I really didn’t expect Saints to arrive at the CBS Arena with their unbeaten record intact. We looked beaten against a struggling Baggies side who simply wanted it more. It took a late goal made and scored by guys off our bench to remind me we do have the resources and squad depth to make the playoffs.
That said, Cov has been the team to beat in this Division since the off. They are strong in all areas, play good football and are unbeaten since January. Only one side is on a better run: yes, it is SFC!
Should Downes and Bree come through this game without being booked the spectre of a ban goes away. I’m confident Bree can stay out of the Ref’s notebook. Fingers crossed for Flynn.
Saints have been staying at St George’s Park since Wednesday, but both Leo and LND went off by car and are doubtful for Saturday. Edozie’s Hawthorns cameo showed he is the man to play wide left, and CLarin was always going to start v Cov. The rest of the team almost picks itself, with Jander and Wood the only other changes TE might consider.
I was drying off in the bathroom with Solent on the radio when Adam announced the line-ups. It was only when he and Jo began debating what formation we might be playing that I clocked the unusual starting XI Tonda had selected.
Jo pretty soon sussed it would be 4-1-4-1 with Bragg at pivot and Azaz, Jander, Downes and Matsuki pressed high against van Ewijk, Onyeka, Grimes and Dasilva. Clearly, Tonda had watched how Cov built attacks with the midfield pair carrying the ball forward and the fullbacks bombing forward to support their wingers. He decided not to let them do that, and, for the most part, they could not.
Cov are top because they have good players and, despite the worried look on Frank’s face for much of the game, they still managed to create chances. Saints stuck to the game plan, stuck together and turned in a great team performance. When this wasn’t enough, Coventry either missed our goal or were foiled by our excellent goalkeeper.
I was dressed and downstairs by kick off and unaware that “no wingers” was upsetting the empty glassers. Saints first move demonstrated intent with Larin 1 on 1 with Rushworth before being flagged offside. Our demeanour looked good. We paid them due respect but still went after them and dominated early exchanges.
With their normal paths blocked, Cov adopted big diagonal passes. Most went right to left, where the lively Mason Clark kept Bree honest throughout. He had Cov’s first chance but missed the far post.
Matsuki forced Dasilva to concede the first corner. Manning’s cross reached the Japanese beyond the far post. His header back dropped in the box, and Larin stabbed it just wide. Our next attack won another corner from the right, but this time Rhino cleared all comers, and it went out.
Both sides were guilty of fouls, which broke up play, and when Wright got a sight of our goal, he was flagged offside. Their next chance came from a long throw, but Dan was quickly out to grab the ball.
At the half hour, Grimes conceded another corner. This time, Rhino put the ball into the mixer. THB got a shot away, but it was blocked, and suddenly Cov were breaking upfield and reached our box before a timely intervention from Jander gave them their first corner. Again, Dan dealt with this, and we were off again, only for Finn to be caught offside.
Cov had overcome their initial shock at our tactics and got a foothold in the game. The last third of the half saw them exert some real pressure on our defence. Dasilva sent over a cross which Sakamoto headed just beyond Dan’s post.
Matsuki gave them a corner on the left. Grimes took it short, and it eventually came in from Mason Clark and found Woolfenden, right in front of the goal. Dan did a star jump to make himself huge; to his relief, the header went beyond the far post. That was the best chance so far; they hadn’t taken it.
That seemed to put a spring in our step as Saints then passed their way the length of the pitch before Cam fed Matsuki, whose shot was blocked. Great move that!
At the other end, Dasilva picked out Wright, who got his shot away, but THB blocked it behind for a corner. Another short corner saw the ball come to Eccles. His cross was met by Kitching, whose header flashed goalwards but turned past the post by Peretz’s strong left glove. Wow! Our keeper was having one of those days!
This time, the corner came straight in, and Grimes was penalised for a foul. During 1 added minute, Wright had another great chance. Bree had kept a lid on Mason Clark for most of the half, but he was able to put in a firm, low cross. Eccles must have heard a call as he let the ball run to Wright, who met it with a sweep of his left foot. Peretz saw it fly just past the foot of his post.
HT - 0-0. We had stood up to Coventry, but Rushworth had yet to make a save. We needed a bit more attacking intent if we were to take any points from the CBS Arena.
Our first attack of the 2nd half saw us take the lead. Bree carried the ball up the wing, laid it off to Matsuki and carried on moving forward. Matsuki, however, cut inside. He sent the ball curling towards the far post as Larin closed in. Doesn’t look like the Canadian got anything on it, but Rushworth was aware he might. That may be why his late dive didn’t reach the ball, which did indeed hit the post. Closing in came Flynn Downs, who poked the rebound in. 0-1. The away end went berserk.
Cue incoming kitchen sink. Cov created a very good chance with their next move. Woolfenden’s long flighted cross was met by Eccles, who stuck his header low to Dan’s right, but the keeper was on it like a jaguar taking a caiman.
The game had been littered with fouls, and the Ref’s patience may have run out. On 53m, Kitching saw yellow for fouling Cyle. This gave Rhino the chance to take a free kick. The commentator supplied the big build-up, and he got the ball up and down but not inside the goal.
Back came Cov, and our back four were again required to earn their keep. From a corner, the ball broke to van Ewijk, but a black-clad body deflected his shot. Then Dasilva put in a cross which Kitching met but headed wide. Frank then made his first change - Thomas Asante for Eccles.
There was another spell of midfield battling and more fouls. One of these, on Dasilva, enabled them to lump the ball into our box. Dan came to collect and was fouled by Kitching.
Then, in quick succession, both keepers were required to make saves. First, Azaz set up Jander, whose shot was saved. Then at the other end, van Ewijk picked out Wright, but he put his header straight at Dan. That was Haji’s last contribution. He was replaced by Simms.
Tonda then replaced Bragg and Larin with Charles and Archer. Bree conceded a couple of corners, but neither caused us problems. Then, on 71m, Flynn fouled BTA. It was soft by his standards, but, on his best behaviour, he walked away without protesting.
Saints continued to make chances. Matsuki had a pot from outside the box, which flew just by the post. Two further Cov subs arrived, Torp and Esse for Onyerka and Sakamoto. Then Woolfenden saw yellow for a professional foul as Jander brought the ball out of defence.
On 85m, Azaz was played in behind van Ewijk and looked to cross, but Woolfenden’s long leg put it out. I think this was our first corner from the left. Across came Bree and spotted the ball. He put it right in front of the goal. All the big guys were too busy wrestling each other to get anything on the ball, and the keeper stayed on his line. It dropped through the bodies, bounced off Matsuki and trickled over the line. They all count: 0-2!
The home fans looked shocked as a rousing chorus of OWTS rang round the ground. You’d always expect Cov might get one back, but two??
Seems Archer got booked for delaying the restart, as Simms was booked for clattering Manning. With 2m left, Archer brought down Mason Clark in shooting range. Torp lined it up, beat our wall, but his shot flew wide. In the 90th, van Ewijk launched a long diagonal towards the onrushing Masson Clark, who beat Bree in the air, but THB blocked his effort. There would be 7 added minutes.
Their next attack saw a cross from the right drift past everyone, and as Torp and Charles chased it, the Dane went to ground. I automatically thought he’d dived, but the Ref pointed to the spot. FFS! Replays showed Shea had trodden on his heel and Torp collected the ball and put it on the spot. The Ref then booked Peretz, presumably for unsportingly trying to put the taker off.
It was a good penalty, low, hard and right in the corner. Peretz went the right way, but this time he was beaten. 1-2 with 5 mins left…
Suddenly, the home support came back to life and roared on the Sky Blues. Full marks for having a go: Woolfenden got on the end of a Mason Clark cross, but again his header missed. Then Esse took a shot at goal, but that too went wide. Then Esse set up Thomas Asante. He was on target, but Dan dived right and held it.
Diagonal balls were being hit towards Mason Clark, but Tonda had spotted this. He left Bree on but sent on Wood for Matsuki, and MC didn’t win another header.
The siege carried on. Torp put another shot wide, then first Thomas Asante and next Esse both took shots, but they were blocked by the Black wall. When Thomas Asante got an effort on target, Peretz held onto it - as long as he dared.
In the 9th added minute, Mr Hallam blew for time. Saints had beaten the best side in the Division on their own patch. Only a fellow yo-yo club, Ipswich, have done that this season.
Sky made Flynn Downes their MoM, but the Londoner was effusive in his praise for Tonda Eckert. “He tells us what to do, and we go out and do it.”
We are now 3 points off the playoffs with 6 of our remaining 9 games at SMS. We CAN do this!
How nice to be able to name pretty much anyone and not be wrong. Everyone did what was asked of them and helped deliver a huge win. THB was great. Bragg played like he’d been a single pivot all his life. Downes had his best game in a Saints shirt, and he and Bree kept their heads to avoid the dreaded “10th Yellow card”. It was a fantastic team performance.
However, my MoM has to be Dan Peretz. He has been the filler to fix our leaky defence. He has given our defenders the confidence to be their best and helps them stay organised under pressure. He also makes some spectacular saves. Take a bow, Sir!
The ball is in the Coventry net after Kuryu Matsuki's tap-in from a chaotic corner
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